A lifestyle, fashion and beauty blog that champions individual style

Category: Beauty

As a self-professed make-up addict, it’s of little surprise to most people who know me that I’ve invested in a new eyeshadow palette. With a collection of palettes which includes options from Tarte, Too Faced and Urban Decay, you’d be safe in saying that I didn’t need a new one. With that being said, most of my previously-purchased palettes mimic each other with their soft taupe, warm brown and natural shimmer shades; I’m a sucker for a honey-brown smoky eye. So, you can see why I needed to expand my coveted collection to include an array of shades that I wouldn’t usually opt for. Enter stage right: the Estée Lauder Smoky Nights Eyeshadow Palette.

The Smoky Nights palette from Estée Lauder features 14 highly-pigmented eyeshadows, which include seven shimmers, and seven pearly-matte finish shadows.

The palette features an intriguing composition of beautiful, bright jewel tones, bold and seductive navy and purple and a selection of lighter, highlighting shades. This palette promises to deliver a multitude of different make-up looks, from olive green smoky eyes, to pretty pink and brown neutrals, extravagant brights and delicate, natural shimmers. With such a diverse selection of colours, you can definitely experiment with different looks, making sure to juxtapose usually opposing colour combinations.

The palette comes with a guide to achieving different make-up looks, and their suggestions include combining the beautiful purple, lilac and violet shades for a delicate, on-trend vibe; the pink, brown and shimmery shades for an everyday, nautral smoky eye; the rich navy, sky blue and lilac shades – a beautiful combination for blondes; and the olive green, grey and light pink shades for an earthy look which would look divine on olive-to-medium-coloured skin tones.

The beautiful jewel-toned eyeshadows are intensely pigmented and pick up beautiful colour. They characterized by their silky feel and pearly finish, and the colours wears really well on the skin. An eyeshadow primer or make-up setting spray will help to ensure these bright colours don’t smudge though.

The palette retails for £44 and you can purchase it from Harrods or Debenhams, as well as from other department stores. For £44, you’re receiving 14 eyeshadows, with each eyeshadow working out at just over £3 each. Whilst the price initially seems steep (although not dissimilar to the price of other beauty brands’ palettes), £3 for an eyeshadow is an absolute steal. When you consider that just one eyeshadow from Estée Lauder retails for £20, the overall price is quite enticing – especially if you like the colours.

All in all, I’m really excited to play around with this eyeshadow palette more, and I definitely want to incorporate more colour in to my make-up looks. I’ve almost never worn blue or purple eyeshadow before, most notably because my colouring suits warmer colours, but I’m going to push myself out of my beauty comfort zone and go for a dark blue smoky eye on my next evening out with the girls. Watch this space.

As always, let me know your thoughts by commenting below and, if there’s an eyeshadow palette that you just can’t live without, then I’d love to hear about it.

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It’s no secret that I’m an Estée Lauder devotee; I’ve definitely worked my way through a questionable amount of Double Wear foundation. With a rich history that dates back to the 1940s, the Estée Lauder brand is a leading (and, at one time, pioneering) voice in cosmetics which I absolutely adore, and trust, for exactly that reason.

Recently I needed to repurchase my holy grail foundation, the Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup, which retails for £31 at Boots (linked). As often is the case, the brand had a gift with purchase offer on orders of two items or more, where one had to be either skincare or foundation. Instead of opting for another cosmetics item, which would be my usual choice, I decided to treat myself to the Estée Lauder DayWear Advanced Anti-Oxidant Creme at £42 (also linked). In return, I bagged a selection of travel-sized samples and one full-sized lipstick in a small make-up bag.

Whilst on a little bit of a beauty splurge, I also treated myself to a brand new perfume whilst passing through duty-free at the airport in Vancouver. After lusting over the Estée Lauder Modern Muse Eau de Parfum for what felt like forever, I picked up a 50ml bottle. The scent is absolutely perfect; I couldn’t love the perfume more. It’s my signature scent now and I’ll definitely repurchase it when I run out (for reference, I’m already half-way through the bottle – although this is after quite a few months of daily use).

I honestly couldn’t rate the Estée Lauder skincare, make-up and perfume products more if I tried – they’re all absolutely beautiful products which have had years and years of research and development put in to their creation. Earlier, I said that Double Wear is my favourite foundation, and that’s because it’s one of the only foundations which lasts on my skin all day and leaves it feeling cared for and covered. I love it. The DayWear Creme moisturiser is an absolute essential for me and, for the perfume, Modern Muse, I urge you to go into your local drugstore or pharmacy to test the scent out for yourself.

Are you an Estée Lauder fan? Which products do you use? I’m interested in trying one of the brand’s serums but they’re quite expensive, so please let me know in the comments below if you use one, and which your favourite is!

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I’m not sure there’s anything better in life than a big, bouncy blow dry from your favourite salon. As I’m sure you’ve all experienced, the feeling of walking out of an appointment with your hairdresser in freshly-styled locks is second-to-none. As with all of life’s mysteries, I really don’t know how they do it. I certainly haven’t mastered the art of mixing voluminous waves with that iconic sleek and shiny appearance yet. Now, my everyday ‘go-to’ hair style is usually just freshly-washed, straightened hair in a medium length (much to my dismay). I know, I know, I shouldn’t be using straighteners every day but unfortunately, my natural hair is quite frizzy and unmanageable before it’s been heat styled. Although straighteners help to achieve a smooth, sleek style, they can lead to hair appearing flat and lacklustre.

Constantly on the prowl for hair care products that will lift at the roots and add volume, you can imagine how happy I was to find this Bumble and Bumble ‘The Gift of Great (Big) Hair’ Blow Dry Set in Boots for an incredible £8 the other day. I’ve noticed Bumble and Bumble sneaking in to Boots store nationwide over the past year or two, but their high price tags have always put me off. I’m more of an Aussie girl. Nonetheless, £8 for a set that currently retails online for £49 is quite a steal. What I want to know is, will this kit be worth the cash? And would I pay full price for a second box? Read on to find out…

What I first noticed about this set was how lovely the packaging is. As I picked up an £8 box in the clearance, the edges were a little tatty, however I can imagine that when impeccably boxed and given as a gift, this set would look very alluring to the lucky recipient. Not only that, but the included products are good sizes and look set to last a while. Here’s a round-up of what’s inside:

All of the included products can be bought separately at Boots. The Styling Spray retails at £19 for 300ml which is double the size of what’s included in the box, whilst the All-Style Blow Dry cream costs £23 for 150ml – the same size as that which is included in the box. The Invisible Oil Primer will set you back £20.50 for a 250ml bottle and lastly, a tub of the Pret-a-Powder will set you back £22 for 56g (and that’s quite a lot bigger than the sample size we’ve got in the box). In total, buying these four products separately (where three are considerably bigger than those in the box) is going to cost you £84.50. With this in mind, the only real benefit of buying the box – in terms of cost alone – is getting deluxe sample sizes that you can try for just over half the price.

Cost aside, the actual products are very good. The Bumble and Bumble (BB) Does It All Styling Spray feels light and airy when fixing a style, and the formulation doesn’t leave your hair feeling particularly sticky or coarse. I love the smell of all of these products and the overall vibe is very boho, emanating the Bumble and Bumble vision. The BB All Style Blow Dry is a lovely product that’s a little like whipped cream for your hair. The whole formula from scent to feel and finish is distinctively Bumble and Bumble and it leaves your hair feeling plump and soft. I find products like this really help me to achieve a better blow dry style, and this paired with the Invisible Oil Primer make for my two favourites. Whilst I can’t rate a primer on whether it’s protecting my hair from damage until I’ve truly waited months, I really love the way it feels in my hair – or more that I can’t feel it at all. The most unique product from the set, though, is the BB Pret-a-Powder. Dubbed a miracle hair-care product, this little powder is much like banana powder for the face. It conceals what you don’t want to show and highlights what you do, adding radiance and shine to your locks. I’m not sure this is a ‘must have’ product, but I think it’s definitely a ‘must try’.

All in all, the whole set feels deliciously premium and gives you a real taste for the brand. Bumble and Bumble is relatively expensive but I guess it’s opening the doors for premium hair care. After all, I don’t think twice about buying luxury cosmetics and skincare items, but it’s probably my hair that I’m the most fussy about. In reality though, I just can’t see myself spending £49 on a set like this, although I do think this bundle will last me a while. I definitely think that this set would make for a wonderful gift, and if you’re buying for a daughter who loves looking after their hair, or your mother who you’d like to treat with something a bit different, this is a wonderful idea. If not for gifting though, I can’t really justify the splurge. That being said, there’s one or two alternatives that make a lot more financial sense to me – particularly, the Bumble and Bumble The Thickening Hair Set Full of Cheer. At £22 and containing three similarly-sized products, this set is well worth opting for. I think I might have to try this one myself…

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Happy New Year, to one and all. It’s officially twenty sixteen, so here’s to a magical, make-up filled 12 months. Although it’s the first of the month, I’m still in the festive spirit, so I’m going to wrap up the holiday season with one more Christmas-themed blog post. As I’m a little older now, my parents often ask what one thing I’d really like for Christmas, and so this year, I asked for the Zoeva Vegan Prime Brush Set, available at Beauty Bayfor £61.50. I’ve used Zoeva brushes before and I’ve always been particularly impressed with the quality of the brushes and their reasonable price tags. (Most brushes come in at £10 or under, with only the ‘Luxe’ range and the large face brushes exceeding this limit.)

Whilst there’s plenty of make-up brush sets by Zoeva to choose from, I opted for this Vegan Prime Brush Set as it’s stuffed with ten brushes, features my favourite brush (the Zoeva 104 Buffer Brush, £12.95 when bought separately) and comes equipped with a large powder brush (one that I’m desperately in need of). At £61.50, this brush set is in the middle-to-high range of Zoeva’s sets – they sell gorgeous smaller sets for around £30, and full collection sets that extend to the £90 mark. What’s great is that, regardless of which set you choose, you’ll get a deluxe clutch-come-brush pouch too.

If you haven’t tried the Zoeva range before, I highly recommend that you try a brush or two, as you’ll likely be very impressed with the quality. If, like me, you’re particularly obsessive over a flawless base, you’ll appreciate one of the foundation brushes on offer. As aforementioned, my absolute favourite is the 104 Buffer Brush, available in black, Bamboo and beautiful Rose Gold (part of two exclusive Zoeva collections). Not only this, but the Zoeva eye brushes are an absolute steal too – the 317 Wing Liner Brush, £5.95, gives MAC’s iconic 266 a serious run for its money, whilst the 228 Luxe Crease Brush, £6.95, is a real rival for your staple 217 brush.

Your secret weapon for creating the hottest makeup looks with ease and precision, Vegan Prime Brush Set contains the softest, Vegan friendly brushes to deliver exceptional professional results. From exquisite foundation, concealer and blusher brushes to super soft blending, smudging and shading eye shadow brushes, Vegan Prime Brush Set is the ultimate collection for any beauty addict. Packaged in a large clutch bag, each brush is expertly handcrafted using the finest Vegan friendly Synthetic bristles which pick up the perfect amount of makeup for flawless application and seamless blending.

Just as Beauty Bay describes the selection, the Vegan Prime Brush Set is a real winner, making for the perfect gift or weekend pick-me-up. With 10 of Zoeva’s best brushes, four of which are face/base brushes, four for the eyes and one multi-tasker, you can pretty much replenish or replace your entire collection.

– WHAT’S INSIDE –

Zoeva Vegan Prime 317 Wing Liner Brush

Zoeva Vegan Prime 227 Soft Definer Brush

Zoeva Vegan Prime 226 Smudger Brush

Zoeva 223 Petit Eye Blender Brush

Zoeva Vegan Prime 142 Concealer Buffer Brush

Zoeva Vegan Prime 128 Cream Cheek Brush

Zoeva Vegan Prime 110 Face Shape Brush

Zoeva 106 Powder Brush

Zoeva Vegan Prime 104 Buffer Brush

The Zoeva brushes are super-soft and perfectly shaped, and they’re almost too pretty to use. They’re designed with vegan-friendly Taklon bristles in a way that picks up make-up but doesn’t absorb all of your product, and they really do create a flawless, even finish.

I use the Buffer Brush to apply my foundation (I’m currently using Nars Sheer Glow in the shade Fiji) and it’s perfect for evenly distributing a smooth layer of liquid foundation. I’ve used this brush with different foundations and always find the same, iconic results. However, make sure you clean your brushes as they will get grubby after a while. (After cleaning though – I use a generic shampoo – they’re just as soft as the day you bought them.) The 110 Face Shape Brush is perfect for covering blemishes and redness, whilst the multi-tasking 142 Concealer Buffer Brush is ideal for reducing puffiness and brightening under the eyes. All of the eye brushes are exquisite and can be purchased separately for around £6 each.

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As I’m sure you can probably guess, I’m a little bit in love with Zoeva brushes. Bear in mind that I’ve tried everything from Real Techniques to MAC and Bobbi Brown, but these are without a doubt my absolute favourites. If I had to find a criticism, it’s that the bristles in their 102 Silk Finish Brush (not included with this set) do molt a little bit. I haven’t experienced this with any of their other brushes yet, but thought I’d include that note too. All being said, these brushes make for an incredible gift. For those of you considering trying out these brushes, I highly recommend this set, or one of the smaller sets (such as this gorgeous new En Taupe Brush Set, £36.95, which includes five of their bestselling eye brushes).

I’d love to know what you think of the Zoeva make-up brushes, if you’ve tried them. If not, have you seen any you like from reading this post? Or is there a specific brand of make-up brushes that you think I should try? Let me know in the comments below!

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As the countdown to Christmas has officially begun, it’s probably time to start thinking about going shopping and grabbing the perfect gifts for your loved ones. Whilst Christmas shopping can sometimes be a bit of a headache, at least we’re probably not going to be spending our Friday afternoons fighting over a foot spa in Walmart. So, to take the grief out of gift-buying, I’ve put together my edit of the perfect presents for girls, this Christmas 2015. All bar one of these gift ideas are under £100, so you’ll hopefully be able to find something that shouts ‘yes, I’m the one!’.

A little more luxe than what I’d usually feature in one post, this collection of gifts is specifically curated with Christmas in mind. After all, we can’t all afford to treat ourselves to designer bags and expensive perfume on the regular, now, can we?

I’m absolutely in love with the miniature eyeshadow palettes from MAC and this gorgeous Purple Times Nine edition (£30) is the perfect warm, wintery colour combo for Christmas. I’m also a sucker for Jo Malone, so their latest fragrance – Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne – would make for a wonderful gift. (Prices start at £42 for 30ml.) If you’re after a designer label without the designer price tag, the famous Le Pliage Small Tote bags from Longchamp, £59, make for a real winner.

Another bag option (we’re girls, after all) is this luxe little offering from Michael Kors, the Jet Set Saffiano Cross-Body Bag. At £130, it’s definitely on the more expensive side, however you can be assured this’ll be one to remember. Down in price point but not in style, these beautiful Kate Spade Secret Garden Studs, £50 make for an enviable offering. Let’s not forget the Urban Decay Naked3 Palette, £38, either. A champion gift idea, this rose gold palette is right on trend.

Featuring on my Christmas wishlist every year is the Olivia Burton Black and Gold Big Dial Watch, £80 – it’s such a beautiful, timeless style. In a complementary colour palette to the watch, this Large Bow Trim Wash Bag from Ted Baker is a pretty little treat that comes in at just £30. Bargain. If you’re shopping for a lady that loves a good night out, these Laser-Cut Sandals, £52 from Topshop, are a real sartorial winner.

A cult classic, the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse face, hair and body oil is a steal at £28, and is the crème de la crème of iconic beauty products. Another beauty must-have, this beautiful Rose Golden Complete Eye Set, £56.95 from German brand Zoeva, is the perfect present for any make-up lover. Lastly, but certainly not least, this limited edition Neom Christmas Wish Candle, £30, combines a luxury treat with beautiful packaging and a feel-good scent to make the perfect Christmas present.

♥

Well, that’s a wrap. I hope you liked my ultimate gift guide for her. I’m actually a bit obsessed with each and every item I’ve included in this edit of Christmas pressies, *hint, hint*. If you liked this gift inspiration, which present is your favourite? Is there anything on here that you would like for Christmas? Or is there something you’d love even more? Let me know in the comments below!

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As I’m off to New York soon, I’ve been particularly frugal with how much I’ve spent on makeup and beauty buys recently. Instead of splurging on a new high-end foundation or treating myself to a glossy new lippie or two, I’ve set the money aside for some serious Sephora shopping. However, as I was browsing in Boots this weekend, I couldn’t help but indulge in a little 3 for 2 spend. Desperately in need of some new makeup brushes (don’t worry, I’ve got a Zoeva collection on the Christmas list already!) and an under-eye concealer, I picked up both and added in a beauty treat too.

A 3 for 2 is a great way to treat yourself without breaking the bank; I always utilize this deal if I can as you’re always saving around £6-10. Luckily, I needed to invest in a concealer and a blush brush anyway, so the lipstick was a freebie for me. I’ve been after a nice new nude for a long time now, so it was fun to be able to choose something a bit different, without thinking about cost.

I needed to buy a new under-eye concealer and opted for the Maybelline Instant Anti-Age Eraser in the shade Light. I’ve been using the Rimmel Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer for a few months and, whilst I really like it, I wanted to try out this Maybelline concealer again. I have actually used it before and I think it’s really good, so I’m excited to start using this. I’m particularly attracted to this product for its nourishing, hydrating ingredients and its unique sponge applicator. At just £7.99, it boasts an affordable price tag for such a mighty product.

I’ve been using Zoeva make-up brushes for around 6 months. I spotted them on Beauty Bay and was instantly struck by their low price point. Prior to this, I’d used Real Techniques brushes for a long time. I’ve been watching Nic and Sam Chapman on their YouTube channel Pixiwoo and I’ve always loved their brushes. Instead of opting for a Zoeva brush this time, I decided to try the Real Techniques Blush Brush for a change, and I’m really glad I did. Super-soft and delicate, this brush is perfect for sweeping powder under the eyes or over your T-Zone and for light bronzing over the cheeks and temples.

Although a new lipstick isn’t exactly a beauty priority, I’ve definitely been lusting after a new nude for a little while now. Whilst I love a glamorous red or deep berry, it’s unusual that you’ll catch me sporting a bold lip unless I’m attending a dressy event. I’m more partial to a your-lips-but-better shade of rose, so this L’Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in Naomi’s Delicate Roseis the perfect shade for me. It’s slightly pinker than my actual lip tone, so it’s a little more prominent. I plan on wearing this to work, to town and out and about – it’s so wearable and forms part of a gorgeous collection by L’Oreal. Massive thumbs up.

In total, these three beauty buys came to around £16, which is pretty good for a luxe lipstick, HD blusher brush and under-eye concealer. Whilst I champion all make-up, and I’m fond of high-end beauty brands like Nars, Mac and Estée Lauder, it’s amazing how much you can get for your money when you buy in drugstores. I’ve tried all three of these products too, and I couldn’t recommend them enough. I’m really surprised by how much I love the lipstick too – it’s a lovely formulation and it’s comfortable to wear – I’ll definitely be purchasing more of the Color Riche Collection Nudes shades.

Have you bought any new make-up recently? If you’ve tried these products, what were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

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I’m a little bit obsessed with Lush; I love bubble baths, beauty and all-round pampering, so what’s not to love? If I’m shopping for gifts or I’m after a little treat for myself, Lush is my go-to store for grabbing something great. After all, a bubble bar isn’t exactly going to break the bank now, is it?

For my birthday this year, I was lucky enough to receive one of Lush’s gorgeous gift sets, Rosie. After falling slightly in love with it, I actually bought another one. I then bought one for my best friend too. (Slight shopping addiction, anyone?) As a champion of all things Lush, and a true advocate of the Rosie by Lush gift set, I thought I’d share my review* of the gift set. *Spoiler alert: it’s going to be a good.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

At £21.25, the Rosie gift set is at the lower end of Lush’s gift sets in terms of pricing. Whilst you can grab a little gift set for as low as £8.45 (Sandstone & Ice Blue Soap Stack), gifts at Lush can exceed £100+ and the mid-range sets are around £30 each.

As this gift set is reasonably priced, you might be surprised to see that you actually receive five Lush goodies in the box. Here’s what’s inside:

Rose Jam Shower Gel, 100g

Rose Jam Bubbleroon, 100g

Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner, 45g

Amandopondo Bubble Bar, 100g

Tisty Tosty Bath Bomb, 120g

In a pretty palette of creamy whites and strawberry pinks, the Rosie gift set by Lush is super-sweet and makes for the perfect little treat for any girl – be that your daughter, sister, girlfriend or best friend.

Altogether, the gift set is pretty substantial in size, as all of the treats in the box are priced at £4+, with the Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner the most expensive treat at £16.50 for 225g if bought separately. And even if the overall saving isn’t as much as you’d hoped, half of the beauty of this gift box is in the packaging. Medium in size and wrapped in beautifully-decorated paper, this gorgeous gift set looks as beautiful unopened as the products inside.

ROSE JAM SHOWER GEL

Lush say: Let your skin be kissed by a rose. This sweetly floral shower gel is made with lemon to bring clarity and rose to lift the spirits.

Lush’s Rose Jam Shower Gel smells heavenly and blends lots of luxurious ingredients, including renowned skin saviour Argan Oil and cleansing, brightening Goji berries. This shower gel will definitely leave you feeling fresh, and the overall rose scent lingers on your skin. A little goes a long way, and this is a lovely product to have sat in the shower.

ROSE JAM BUBBLEROON

As soon as I opened my Rosie gift set, the first thing I went for was this Rose Jam Bubbleroon. It’s vibrant strawberry pink in colour and has a creamy overall consistency, whilst still remaining firm enough that you can break it apart in the bath. This little bubble bar will turn your bath bright pink, whilst leaving your skin seriously soft. Love it.

AMANDOPONDO BUBBLE BAR

Of all the products within the Rosie gift box, I was least excited about the Amandopondo Bubble Bar. I’m not sure whether it was the overall look of the product or not, but I just didn’t go for product as quickly as did the others. Well, I was definitely mistaken to assume this bubble bar was the least exciting of all the products! This bubble bar leaves your bath smelling heavenly, whilst it produces heaps of bubbles and soaks your skin in luxurious natural oils – a true winner for indulging in a little TLC when you most need it.

RO’S ARGAN BODY CONDITIONER

I’m a champion of all of Lush’s face and body moisturizers, and when I’m after a real treat I’ll head for their little tubs of goodness at the back of the store. (My favourite treat is the Oatifix Fresh Face Mask, but that’s for another day!) Included in the Rosie gift box is a 45g tub of the Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner. Lush’s body conditioners work like a hair conditioner does, so you work it into wet skin and then rinse off after a bath. This specific body conditioner leaves skin feels so soft and supple, and it smells divine. Lush have packed vitamin oils and butters into this body mask, so it’s a real treat and definitely my favourite item in the box.

TISTY TOSTY BATH BOMB

If there’s one thing I love when it comes to bath bombs, it’s added extras that make them memorable. Tisty Tosty by Lush adds seven real rose buds and is based on a real medieval love potion – cute, right? I still can’t work out why it’s called Tisty Tosty but the rest of this product makes complete sense – it’s beautiful, luxurious and smells divine, a real winner.

Whilst I can see that adding Lush goodies to your everyday bath and beauty routine might be a bit extreme, a little treat here and there is just plain good for you. I think everyone deserves some pampering once in a while, so treat yourself to a lovely box of goodies like this one. It’s a real winner as a gift and the products inside are truly lovely (unless you really hate the smell of roses, as in the case, I’d probably consider something different) and it comes in at a reasonable price point.

What I love the most about this gift set though is the packaging. I think the overall look of this gift is really special and it looks so pretty and well put together. I’ve seen other Lush boxes that are a little bit more ‘gimmicky’ looking and the packaging isn’t as pretty as this. As you can probably tell, I rate this gift set very highly and I think it’s a perfect idea for any lady in your life.

What do you think of this gift set? Do you like it? Do you have another favourite from Lush, or is there a gift set you’d prefer me to review? Let me know in the comments below!